No additional aid for residents in ECQ areas — Palace

Residents of Metro Manila and four nearby provinces under enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) will not receive additional aid despite the extension of the lockdown for another week, Malacañang said on Monday.

Palace spokesman Harry Roque Jr. said the P1,000 aid for each individual or a maximum of P4,000 per family is for the two-week ECQ period.

“When we decided to distribute P4,000 per family we considered already that the ECQ would be for two weeks,” he said.

Roque admitted that the amount is not enough but he expressed hopes this will help families in Metro Manila, Bulacam, Cavite, Laguna and Rizal get through the two-week ECQ period.

Roque said the government would have to ask Congress for supplemental funds if the ECQ will be extended anew.

“If there is need for further ayuda (aid) then Congress will have to be called into a special session [because it is now in recess] and we will need to get a supplemental budget for that purpose,” he said.

“For the time being, the P23 billion will be the totality of ayuda (aid) that people will get,” Roque added.